


Valentine's Day (Dark Morgenstern's Day)

by AtraEris



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Character Death, F/M, SHPBAC
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-09
Updated: 2018-02-09
Packaged: 2019-03-16 00:40:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,772
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13624899
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AtraEris/pseuds/AtraEris
Summary: From the prompt from TeachMePatience1: What if Valentine's Day wasn't for lovers but for Valentine? A day to celebrate his success in his plan.An alternate time line picking up at the Soul Sword, where Clary doesn't get the vision to destroy it, and Valentine succeeds in taking over. Valentine's day just got a whole new meaning.





	Valentine's Day (Dark Morgenstern's Day)

**Author's Note:**

> Um, so all downworlders die in this. Everyone pretty much dies in this. Only Valentine, Jace, and Clary are safe.
> 
> I'm only a little sorry.

Terror clawed at her chest, panic enveloping her as Jace’s hand came down on the Soul Sword. No! Her brain knew it was the right thing to do, that the risk was necessary that if they didn’t try to destroy the sword, Valentine would take over everything and kill so many of the people she loved, but at the moment, Clary didn’t care. With single-minded determination, her heart screamed in agony at the possibility of losing Jace, and she wasn’t going to lie to herself, it was NOT because he was her brother. 

His hand gripped the sword and the world blasted to a brilliant white and hot air pushed past her in a wave. Clary couldn’t breathe for the pressure, and it pressed her to her knees with force. The bright light blinding her and a few moments she was sure she was dead. It was empty here. Hot, white, but empty. No sounds, no smells, no colors, and yet it hurt so much. Her heart shattered into a million pieces. Her mind confirming that either she was dead or he was and that meant there was no more life for her either way. 

Her whole being filled with a single plea that spilled from her lips, “Please,” she begged with every fiber of her soul, “please just let me have Jace. I’ll give you anything for my happily ever after with Jace.”

It took a few moments before she could confirm she wasn’t dead. Although, as soon as she got her next breath, she wished she had died. All she could smell was death. Burnt flesh acrid in her nose, causing bile to rise in her throat and burn her esophagus. Her vision still blurred with spots from the flash, so she could do nothing but heave there on the floor on her hands and knees, but she knew. She already knew that it was Jace that was gone. Tears flooded her eyes and sobs racked her body as she turned away from her sick, curled on her other side to try and take in air, to try and fill her lungs in the world where he was no more. She closed her eyes desperately not wanting to risk seeing it. 

She curled into a ball, broken, shattered as she sobbed. There must have been some sort of sonic boom with the blast because she could only hear a high pitched ringing in her ears. And a muffled call of her name, “Clary! Clary!” There were hands on her but she refused to open her eyes. She wasn’t ready for it. 

“Clary, please” the muffled voice cried desperately at her. Hands ran over her assessing for injury, they wouldn’t find any. She was only broken on the inside. She managed a shuddering breath knowing that no amount of denial would change things and that after his sacrifice, Jace would want her to fight. She slowly opened her eyes, the spots clearing away as she looked up at him. His blonde hair falling in his face, his mis-matched eyes so full of concern and worry for her, his hand cupping her cheek. She was wrapped up in him in an instant. So flooded with relief that he was alive that she didn’t care how it happened and she silently sent a thank you to whatever power had heard her and offered her this chance. 

She clung to him desperately as they sat there on the floor. A wicked chuckle cut through the eerie silence around them, her hearing was finally back to normal. 

Clary looked up at Valentine, the Soul Sword clasped in one hand as he stood at the front of the room.

“Such a display of sibling adoration,” he said with a laugh. Clary’s eyes narrowed. She pulled back from Jace and looked him over, suddenly realizing that he was in one piece and all of a sudden seeing the carnage around them. Bodies lay scattered everywhere. Various levels of singed, burnt, and completely obliterated. Her hand went to her mouth immediately. 

Jace looked up at Valentine as well. “How did this happen? I thought with my demon blood I would destroy the sword not activate it.”

Valentine laughed another merciless laugh. “And it would have, had you any demon blood.” Valentine said flipping the sword around in a circle as she stepped towards the two on the floor. “Thank you, by the way. For letting me know that one weakness to my plan. If you were, in fact, Jonathan Christopher Morgenstern, then yes, my plan would have indeed failed.” Valentine smiled at the two. 

“But you are not. You are Jace Herondale. I ripped you from your mother’s womb and brought you up to be by my side as I rule this world. The blood in your veins is the same as Clarissa’s yes, but only because you two have the blood of Itheriul.”

Jace and Clary exchanged a look. “Stand,” Valentine ordered them pointing the sword at Jace’s throat as he shielded Clary behind him. 

They stood, Clary protectively shielded behind Jace, her hands curled into the back of his shirt. “So, I’m not Clary’s brother,” Jace asked seriously looking Valentine in the eyes. 

“No, my boy,” Valentine said, “And I can’t lie.” Valentine wiggled the sword back and forth as if to illustrate his point. “You, Jace, are Clarissa’s mate. I groomed you from birth to be the best fighter, the strongest to protect her. And I gave you the same Angel blood so that you would be the only one that was like her.” Valentine peeked around Jace at Clary, “I made him for you my dear.”

“But, but then, what happened to Jonathan Christopher,” Jace asked bewildered. Valentine gestured to a nearby charred body on the floor. Half the face was burnt away but Jace would see the other half was Sebastian. “That, was Jonathan Christopher,” Valentine said with disgust. “He was useful to gather the instruments, but after I found out his demon blood might be the downfall, I knew it was time to get rid of him.” 

He laughed out loud again, “Did you really think, that I would create a being with Demon blood that I didn’t consider disposable!?” he scoffed. “My mission is to purge the world of the demon scum. Any being with demon blood will fall to my blade.”

Jace stepped forward in anger, “I won’t let you do this,” he snarled.

“Oh, yes you will,” Valentine said with venom. “Because if you do, you get to have her.” Valentine gestured to Clary who was now standing alone as Jace had advanced toward Valentine.

She met eyes with her father. “That’s what you asked for, isn’t Clarissa?” Valentine said a wicked smile across his face. “You promised me anything as long as you could have your happy ending with Jace. Well, here it is. Surrender to me. Join me, and I will let you rule together as prince and princess of this new Nephilium world that I will create. I won’t spare your friends though. This is the one grace I grant you as my daughter, Clarissa. I urge you to take me up on my offer.”

Jace stalked forward, closing the distance between himself and Valentine, “You son of a bitch,” he started and then he felt Clary’s hands on his back, a strange symbol being traced against his skin. 

He heard the tears in her voice as he was frozen to the spot. “I’m sorry, Jace.” Clary whispered, coming to stand in front of him. “But you’re the one thing I refuse to lose.” She nodded at her father. “I accept your proposal,” she said as she knelt before him. 

***************************************************************************

Clary looked out the window at the banners of red and black. Of the fires lit all around to remind everyone of the purge that had been completed on this day. The world was celebrating. The smoke curling from the flames and the scent stinging Clary’s nose reminding her of the countless downworlders that were burnt to a crisp in her father’s tirade. 

Magnus had fallen, blue flames dying at his fingertips as he tried to fight to his last breath, Alec blazing in his fury to avenge his love had fell many of their soldiers with arrow after arrow until his quiver was empty and he was struck down by the soul sword itself, the blade piercing directly through his heart that no doubt had already been broken. Simon too had fallen to the bright white light flashing from the sword upon the lightning strike, barely a wisp of ashes left where he had stood. Izzy’s whip had been a frenzy, slashing and biting and striking anyone who dared come near her in her agony, until she too was downed by a slew of arrows from the archers. 

Clary wasn’t sure what it meant that she didn’t cry. She wasn’t sure if she just felt too much to care anymore or if she was truly Valentine’s daughter and as long as she got what she really wanted, the rest didn’t matter. 

She stared out at the street, at the party and the joy parading down the streets in front of the Institute. She stood on the balcony and all of a sudden someone recognized her there. 

“The princess,” they shouted pointing up to the balcony where she stood. “The princess is watching!” The crowd cheered and whistled, throwing up a fuss and trying to entertain her. A brash young man tied one red and one black rose to an arrow and aimed it up to her. The arrow came rushing up and up, the young man had shot much harder than necessary, the point of the arrow speeding at her. Clary didn’t move. Perhaps this was what she deserved. 

A hand reached out and caught the arrow a mere millimeter from her face and the crowd cheered again. Jace stood beside her and pulled the roses from the arrow, handing them to Clary and kissing her hand. 

“Red and Black,” he said, kissing her hand. “The colors of Valentine’s Day.” 

He pulled her close and kissed her temple. “Come on, babe. Let’s go celebrate your father’s special day and our happily ever after." 

Clary smiled at him, curling into his side. Jace. That was all she really needed anyways. She had known it from that moment. She had given everything for him, everything for this. 

Clary stood on her tiptoes to reach him, kissing him deeply, "Yes, let's celebrate. Because today is the day I got the best gift of all, you. Happy Valentine's day."


End file.
